


Smile Like You Mean It

by the_soot_sprite



Category: Clark Kent - Fandom, Henry Cavill - Fandom, Superman - Fandom
Genre: Angst, angsty fluff, implied sexual encounter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:27:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28017711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_soot_sprite/pseuds/the_soot_sprite
Summary: You can’t shake the new guy in town.





	1. Chapter 1

You’d never meant for anything to happen. 

He was the new face in your quiet town. Whispers amongst the locals ranged from suspicions of his origins to thirsty suggestions. You shied away the gossip, choosing not to indulge in the small talk. Wherever he was from or what he was doing in your town was none of your business. You chose to keep to yourself and not make any assumptions.

But life seemed to get in the way of your plans. You kept running into him all over your small town. 

When you couldn’t reach an item off the top shelf at your local market, he was there to get it down for you. Your eyes widened at his sudden presence before quickly schooling your features. You thanked him for the help and he smiled shyly before continuing his shopping.

During a morning stop at the coffee shop, you almost bumped into him. His fast reflexes saved the day and he gently steadied you with an arm around your waist. You felt your heart hammer in your chest at his close proximity. You mumbled your apologies and ducked out the door.

Waiting for the bookshop owner to return to the counter, you noticed him waiting unobtrusively by the side. He offered you a slight nod when he saw you looking in his direction. The owner rushed back behind the counter, flashing you a cheery grin before ringing him up. As he stepped away, you ask if the shop got a copy of the new release you’d been hoping to get. The owner’s face fell when he started to apologize that he just sold the stranger the only copy he had. Disappointed, you turned away to find him holding out his purchase to you. You started to protest but he reached for your hand, closing it around the book; he smiled softly and left you stunned by his kind offer. 

You found him quiet but polite, preferring to keep to himself. You’d exchanged a few general pleasantries over your numerous encounters. You liked the way he gave you a soft shy smile and how his eyes crinkled up at the corners. You felt your cheeks warm whenever you called you “miss” because he didn’t know your name.

One evening you stopped by the local bar after work. It wasn’t until you stepped up to order your drink that you glanced around and noticed him sitting at the bar by himself. You considered ignoring his presence, taking your drink and sitting away from him, but he looked up when he heard your voice asking for a drink from the bartender. Your eyes met and he gifted you with that boy next door smile that made you melt. 

You acknowledged him, returning his smile. You looked around the bar for an open seat. He watched you scan the area before offering you the open seat next to him. You thought about declining but his earnest eyes convinced you otherwise. You sat down next to him just as the bartender returned with your drink. You spent the evening getting to know each other, discovering you had many things in common. 

The night was late when he walked you home from the bar. You liked the way you felt safe around him, enjoying his presence beside you. He wished you a goodnight but before he walked away, a little liquid courage gave you the push to press your lips against his. You pulled away, ready to apologize for your forwardness when he reached out and captured your lips again.

That night you found yourself in a frenzy of passionate embraces and hungry kisses. The sounds of soft moans and harsh grunting filled the night. His lips burned against your skin; the hair from his soft beard tickled wherever he kissed you. His fingers deftly moved across your body, playing it like an instrument only he knew the tune to. You felt all at once as if you were floating outside yourself and deeply connected to every physical sensation.

In the morning, he kissed you goodbye. Not a word was exchanged that would contain false promises for more. You hoped to see him around town again but you never do. Just as the mysterious stranger had blown into town, he left without a trace.

Though you never thought it would lead to more, you were saddened at the loss of his presence in your life. As the years passed, you thought of him from time to time. You tried to move on with your life, dating here and there but no one quite lived up to him. Since he left town, you hadn’t felt the same connection. 

When you landed your new job, you thought you could shake the ghosts of the past that haunted you. Grateful to have made new friends amongst your coworkers, you agreed to go out with them to try to enjoy the new city. It felt good to smile freely again; a carefree laugh bubbled up at your friends’ antics. 

*****

A sound that he hadn’t heard in years reached his ears. His eyes scanned the vicinity, searching for the source. Finally, his gaze found a familiar face in the crowd. It had been years since he last saw you; though the intervening years had changed you, you were as beautiful as the day he first laid eyes on you. A rush of regret filled him, remembering how he left you that morning without a word. He had never meant to get involved in your life but he always seemed to find himself beside you. You had an easy way about you, a soft gentleness that coaxed the best from people. He couldn’t help but be near you, like the sunflower turning its gaze to the sun. You were his sun. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to bask in your light—until he remembered who and what he was. And so he ran. But here you were again, and he wasn’t sure he’d be strong enough to let you go this time. 

*****

You looked across the room, scanning your surroundings like you were looking for something...or someone. Even though you expected to never see him again, you couldn’t help your habit of looking for him. Old habits died hard. Except this time, without ever expecting it to come true, your eyes found what your heart had been looking for all these years. Your gaze landed on him, widening in surprise; you never believed you’d see him again. 

The clamor around you died as you stared at the man who haunted your dreams. He stood there stunned for a moment, as if he were trying to process seeing you again. Without thinking, your eyes softened at the sight of him and you involuntarily smiled. When he saw the joy in your eyes, he was shaken out of his reverie. Blinking quickly as if to clear his mind and make sure you weren’t a mirage, the brightest smile broke upon his face as he locked eyes with you.


	2. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was lost is found.

He was here. After all this time, he was just across the way. You started to step forward to speak to him when you saw a woman draw his attention as she grabbed his arm. Your steps faltered and you paused.

You observed them speaking, noting how pretty she was. The petite redhead spoke animatedly and you watched his eyes crinkled as he offered her an open smile. Her effervescent personality charmed the gathering around them. 

You couldn’t help but study his interactions with her. He seemed more relaxed than he had been when you knew him. His smile was more ready and open to those around him. Laughter filled the air and it broke your heart a little to see how much better he was without you.

Of course, he’d have moved on. 

Willing away the tears that threatened to spill, you smiled ruefully at the sight in front of you. You heaved a deep sigh and excused yourself from your friends. Ducking out of the gathering, you sought a quiet place of solitude for reflection. 

Away from the noise of the revelry, you leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to the ground. Drawing your knees against your body, you hugged them close to you. Tucking your head down, you took deep breaths to steady yourself. 

You had found him again after all this time. While you told yourself that there wasn’t a chance you’d ever run into him again, part of you held out a small hope that you would. You had hoped that he felt it too, the connection you had that night. You thought the way he always seemed to be around you, helping you in small ways, the sweet smiles and stolen glances meant more. But you were wrong. It was stupid of you to hold onto that hope that a small town crush and a one night stand could be more.

Raising your head and resting it against the wall, you closed your eyes and took several deep breaths to calm yourself. If you had to cry, you would do it at home. You wouldn’t be that girl who cried over a guy in the middle of the street; you could wait until you had privacy. Mustering up the fortitude to hold it together till you got home, you started to stand when a large open hand reached out to help you up. You looked up to determine the owner and found yourself staring at the deepest blue eyes you’d ever seen in your life. 

It was him. Somehow he found you again. Bewildered, you slid your hands into his and he pulled you up. You wondered how he had found you. After all, you had slipped out of the room while he was with the Titian beauty. Remembering her, you tried to pull your hand from his but his grip wouldn’t allow it.

He called your name like a lover’s kiss to your soul. Resolved not to let him see your hurt, you schooled your features before meeting his state. And just like that, you were gone again. You drowned in those cerulean orbs with the small speck of brown; an imperfection that only added to his perfectness. You were stunned by how kind time had been to him, the age lines only added character to his handsomeness. How were you expected to move on from him?

His deep baritone voice shook you free of your thoughts. Thinking you were a specter of his imagination, he explained he had left to look for you. You dismissed his concern, explaining you were here with friends and were feeling overwhelmed by the city life and needed a small reprieve. You offered a tight smile and tried to move past him. His firm grip on your hand stopped you.

Looking down at your joined hands, you couldn’t help but still be affected by his touch after all this time. Your heart hammered at the feeling of his warm hand on yours. But you remembered he had someone waiting for him at the party: the redhead. 

Trying to excuse yourself from him, you again pulled away from his grip. As if suddenly realizing he was still holding your hand, he reluctantly released you. You breathed a sigh of relief, ready to make your escape from his overwhelming presence. A half whispered question slipped from his lips, wondering if you were trying to leave him.

Angered by his words, you whirled around and hurled accusations that _he_ was the one to leave. Years of pent up hurt spilled from your mouth before you caught yourself. You shook your head, offering your apologies for the outburst; you had no right to be angry when there was never anything more between you. He owed you no explanations for leaving and you hoped he had a good evening with his lady friend. 

Registering your words, he called out for you to stop. You hesitated, part of you longing for him to refute your statements. He explained that what happened between you wasn’t something he should’ve let himself have. You opened your mouth when he quickly rushed to add that he had been trying to figure out some difficult parts of his life when he stumbled on your town. He had meant to stay a day or two before moving on but when he saw you, he felt compelled to remain longer. The more he got to know you, the more he felt how deeply unworthy he was of your affections. 

Feeling that you would be willing to listen to the rest of his story, he continued. He revealed that he was coming to terms with who he was and what that meant for the people in his life. Confusion colored your face as you took in his words. He confessed that he had wanted to stay with you that morning, to come home to you and make love to you, and repeat that over and over again. You asked him why he hadn’t, why he had discarded you. 

You watched your words tear him apart. Even after everything, you didn’t wish to cause him pain. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes before confiding in you the truth. He revealed that you had centered him; you helped him come to terms with who he was and what he was meant to do. He left to protect you because he knew his choice would open you up to danger.

His confession overwhelmed you. You struggled to process not only his words but the truth of them. He reached up and cupped your face, drawing your gaze to his. You searched his eyes for some indication of what to believe. There, you found the same man you knew before: the gentle soul who had offered his help without condition. You knew, in that moment, what he was telling you was the truth. And you understood why he had left.

Suddenly coming to, you realized the intimacy of his gesture. You pulled away, reminding him that she would not appreciate him holding you this way. His face scrunched in confusion before he realized the implications of your words. He laughed softly, revealing she was a flirty colleague and he had no attachments; there had been no one since you. 

A bright smile broke across your face. He paused and asked if there was anyone he should be aware of. You grinned and shook your head fervently. He reached out, drawing you close to him. Your body hummed at the close contact. Tilting your head, he gently brushed his fingers against your cheek. You closed your eyes at his touch before feeling his lips cover yours. 

You had both been lost but now you’ve found yourselves again.


End file.
